Google Business Profile: how to put your business on the map

What is a Google Business Profile?

When someone searches for “hairdresser Elverum” or “plumber near me”, Google shows a map with three businesses at the top. Those are business profiles. The profile shows the name, address, phone number, opening hours, photos and reviews – everything a customer needs to call or drop by.

The service used to be called “Google My Business”. It is completely free, and for many local businesses it matters more than the website.

How to create your profile, step by step

1. Go to google.com/business and sign in with a Google account. Ideally use an account that belongs to the business, not a personal one.
2. Search for your business. If it already exists, you can claim it. If not, you create a new one.
3. Choose the right primary category. This is the most important choice. “Car repair shop” matches different searches from “Car dealer”.
4. Add your address or service area. If customers don't come to your address, for example if you are a tradesperson, you can hide it and list the areas you work in instead.
5. Verify that the business is yours. Google asks you to verify, for example with a code by phone, email, a postcard or a short video. The profile won't show properly until this is done.

Fill in everything – this is where many lose out

A half-finished profile ends up further down. Spend an extra ten minutes on this:

• Opening hours, including on public holidays. Wrong opening hours are the fastest route to an angry review.
• Phone number and website, so people can get in touch with one tap.
• Description in plain words about what you do and where. Write what customers search for, not just the name of the business.
• Services or products, ideally with prices if you can.
• Photos of your premises, your people and the work you do. Real photos beat stock images.

Reviews: what moves you up

The number of reviews, how good they are and how recent they are affect both how high you appear and whether people choose you. The simplest move is to ask:

• Send a link to happy customers straight after the job, while they are still happy.
• Reply to every review, including the bad ones. A calm, polite reply to criticism often builds more trust than ten five-star reviews.
• Don't buy reviews or write them yourself. It breaks Google's rules and can get your profile removed.

Keep your profile alive

Post an update, an offer or some new photos now and then. It shows Google and your customers that the business is active. And remember to update your opening hours before Christmas and Easter.

Would you rather have someone else set up and tidy your profile? We can do it for you.

FAQ